Our favorite humble hometown reporters might be on the verge of TV stardom!
A documentary filmmaker has hit the Times Tower with camera in tow and is planning to make a movie focused on the Times media desk.
“I think that these writers have something invested in their stories that is sort of unique compared to what it would have been like five years ago,” said Andrew Rossi, the filmmaker, who produced and directed Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven, Control Room and Eat This New York. “Reporting on a lot of bad news must have a sort of negative psychic effect. It makes what these writers are doing now that much more emotionally heart-wrenching.”
We can attest to that!
At first, Mr. Rossi was following David Carr, the Times’ media columnist. Mr. Carr told him that he was getting the willies from being followed around solo, so he suggested that Mr. Rossi broaden his lense to the media desk as a whole. Mr. Rossi agreed, went to Times executive editor Bill Keller and got a green light.
Mr. Rossi began trailing Times’ wunderkind TV reporter Brian Stelter last week.
“He watches me edit, watches me write, watches me write emails, watches me tweet, watches me do interviews,” said Mr. Stelter. “There are some days that are going to be more exciting.”
Naturally!
Mr. Rossi said he hopes to visit the entire media desk over the next few months, but cautioned that the project is in its infancy and could expand, or not be competed at all. For now he’s hoping his interviews with media desk members will tease out “how they’re going about their journey, how much is changing on their beats and how this [media industry collapse] has an impact on the Times itself,” he said.
Mr. Rossi, who has a development deal with HBO, told the Times media team in a meeting that the network had expressed interest in the project.
The Times could use a good publicity turn—if it turns out right.
“Well, we had such a spectacular experience with the Daily Show that we thought it would be great to allow more sunlight in on the process,” quipped Mr. Carr.
jkoblin@observer.com
